Golf-practice apparatus



Sent. 2 1924. 1,507,092

J. A. RYcHARDs GOLF PRACTICE APPARATUS Filed May 14. 1923 Snom/1to1 I Patented Sept. 2, 1924.

UNITED STATES JOSEPH A. RYCHARDS, OF NEW YORK, Y.

GOLF-PRACTICE APPARATUS.

Application filed May 14, 1923. Serial No. 638,785.

To 17E whom z'z. may concern.'

Be it known that I, JOSEPH A. RYCHARDS, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at New York, county of New York, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Golf- Practice Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an apparatus for the practice of gol` indoors, or in a restricted area, and it has for its object to provide a simple and inexpensive device comprising means for recording the force of impact of the ball, and thus its length of flight, when the ball is given a fairway drive, and embodying a .canvas sheet`stop having sections corresponding to the fairway and the rough at either side thereof, the stop device being so arranged that the balls striking the same are thrown downwardly on the floor or ground so that their impact with the ground will largely dissipate the rebound force.

The invention will be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings in which- Fig. 1 represents the device in front elevation, within a room, the walls of the latter being indicated in dotted lines,

Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation of the device and Fig. 3 has a large fragmental front elevation of the device.

By reference tothe drawings it will be seen that the device comprises a frame consisting of the spaced posts 1 and the horizontal connecting bar 2. Supported by the posts and barvis a stop device which comprises a centre canvas sheet 3, and at each side thereof a netting sheet 4, the three sections of the stop device being preferably secured together to form a unitary structure, the central member 3 of the stop corresponding to the fairway and the net members 4 at either side thereof corresponding to the rou h.

The stop device as a `whole is, as seen at Fig. 2, set at an angle so that when the ball strikes any portion thereof the ball is thrown downwardly rather `than horizontally or upwardly. Secured to bar 2 are two L-shaped frame members 5, one of which is shown in side elevation, Fig. 2. The upper or horizontal arms of frame members 5 aord a support for a horizontal shaft 6, the shaft being so supported that it is free to rotate. Secured to the shaft and depending therefrom are two vertical arms 7 which carry a rectangular frame 8 for a canvas stop member 9, the swinging stop member thus formed being held in inclined posit-ion as shown in Fig. 2. To this end there is secured to one of the horizontal arms of the frame member 5 a detent 14 which is engaged by a projection 10x carried by one of the swinging' arms 7.

Shaft 6 also supports, for free rotation thereon, a wheel 11 and the wheel is provided with an annular ratchet 12 engaged by a pawl 13 carried by one of the swinging arms 7. And thus it will be seen that when the ball strikes stop device 9 and the arms 7 are swung rearwardly, pawl 13 will act upon the teeth of said ratchet 12 to impart a rotation to wheel 11 the extent of which will correspond to the force of im act given by the ball. Wheel 11 has a re atively wide peripheral surface which bears numerals preferably of a size visible to the layer from the position of drive. It is dresired that after an operative movement of the wheel it be held in the position to which it is rotated and any suitable means for this purpose may be provided, as for example, a spring pressed brake.

It will be seen that the recording device comprising wheel 11 and its operating parts affords a register adapted to show the force of a drive and hence the distance which .would normally have been covered by the ball. And it also adds the distance covered in successive drives. Only those drives which are of such accuracy that the balls driven centrally of the fairway are recorded. In other words, the ball must be driven through the opening 15 formed in canvas stop member 3. It will also be seen that the swinging stop 9 is maintained in inclined position so that the ball is thrown by it downwardly through the opening 15 to lose its force by impact with the iloor as indicated diagrammatically in Fig. 1 y means of the arrow and dotted line.

The apparatus is adaptable for use indoors or out-of-doors; and various modifica'- tions in the jlform and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent being as follows 1. In a golf practice apparatus a stop sheet comprising three joins sections forming end sections and a central sect-ion, the central section corresponding to the fair- Way and being of form or appearance distinct from the end sections which correspond to the rough,"` said stop sheet being mounted in forwardly inclined position relatively to the player and the central section being formed With an aperture, a swinging stop member disposed rearwardlyof said aperture and also forwardly inclined, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. A golf practice apparatus constructed in accordance with claim 1 in Which theindicating device comprises an axially mov-- able member having a relatively wide pe ripheral surface provided with numerals, the axially7 movable member also being provided With annularly arranged ratchet teeth, and the sWinOfing stop member provided with a pawlwiich engages said ratchet. teeth, in combination with means whereby the indicating Wheel is held in position during the return movement of the swinging stop member.

3. In a golf practice apparatus a stop sheet provided with a central aperture, means for holding said stop sheet in substantially taut condition, a. frame, a shaft supported in said frame, a swinging member having a stop member rearwardly of and in register with the said central aperture of the stop sheet, an indicator mounted on said shaft and provided with numerals upon its face, and also provided with ratchet teeth, and a pawl carried by the swinging member in engagement with said ratchet teeth.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

JOSEPH A. RYCHARDS lVitnesses:

W. LEE HELMS, F. H. LoGAN. 

